The issue is made more complex by the fact that govenrment farm subsidies are helping keep junk food artificially cheap, and those subsidies are unlikely to go away anytime soon. Thus the government is already intervening to promote cheap junk food. (Source: ChattahBox)

"Happy Meals" not so happy for children's health, say plaintiffs

America's obesity
epidemic is more severe than that of any other large
industrialized nation. In America today, over 30 percent of
adults and 15 percent of children are obese. More so than any
other medical issue, obesity is crippling
the U.S. economy and health care system.

On
Wednesday, a landmark
lawsuit was filed by the Center for Science in the Public
Interest accusing McDonald's, America's largest fast food chain, of
luring children into unhealthy eating with toys in "Happy
Meals".

Monet Parham, a mother of two in Sacramento, was
one of the sponsoring plaintiffs in the case and comments, "I
object to the fact that McDonald's is getting into my kids' heads
without my permission and actually changing what my kids want to
eat."

Remember
Joe Camel?

The
case is similar in some regards to the class action lawsuits filed
against Camel Cigarettes over its use of the "Joe Camel"
cartoon character. While eating junk food isn't illegal for
children like smoking cigarettes is, many physicians say the risks
associated with obesity are as bad as smoking cigarettes or worse.
It should be noted that Camel Cigarettes was forced to discontinue
its iconic character and settle its lawsuits out of court for a tidy
sum.

Could
the Happy Meal be next?

Lawyers
for the CSPI say that McDonald's is both harming children by luring
children with the toys and harming its competitors which no longer
offer similar prizes with their kids meals. States Steve
Gardner, CSPI litigation director, "Every time McDonald's
markets a Happy Meal directly to a young child, it exploits a child's
developmental vulnerability and violates several states' consumer
protection laws, including the California Unfair Competition
Law."

The group was also critical of McDonald's claims
that it had made its Happy Meals "healthier" by adding
Apple Dippers or low-fat milk as options. They point out that
fries and pop are still the most commonly served options for the
Happy Meal.

CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson states,
"McDonald's congratulates itself for meals that are
hypothetically possible, though it knows very well that it's mostly
selling burgers or chicken nuggets, fries, and sodas to very young
children."

McDonald's spokesperson Bridget Coffing
refused to directly comment on the lawsuit, but defended the happy
meals, stating, "We are proud of our Happy Meals and intend to
vigorously defend our brand, our reputation and our food. We
are confident that parents understand and appreciate that Happy Meals
are a fun treat, with quality, right-sized food choices for their
children that can fit into a balanced diet."

What
the Suit Means to American's Health, The Fast Food Business

The
idea of government courts policing American's eating habits and
replacing the role of proper parenting is controversial. And
its important to note that government intervention is partly
responsible for the success of
fast food, as farm subsidies have reduced the cost of beef and corn
to much lower levels than Europe and Asia.

For McDonald's, the
suit couldn't have come at a much worse time. The company was
just hit by a massive
data loss, in which it may have lost as many as 13 million
customers' names and email addresses. And over the last couple
years the company's image has been damaged by the nonfiction
best-seller/documentary Supersize
Me.

The
case is significant for other fast food companies, as well.
Depending on its outcome, other competitors, like Taco Bell, which
does often offer toys with kids meals, may have to eliminate them as
well. And if the practice is condoned by the court, competitors
who aren't offering toys may feel compelled to keep up.

In
other words, this super-size case may ultimately be the prelude to
the U.S. government either practicing a hands-off policy as
Americans' waists swell; or opting to try to force consumers to
healthier options, via either court rulings or legislation.

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Get over it, unless you’re stupid you should know ALL hamburgers are made of meat and fat. McDonalds is probably not much better or worse in that regard. Most places over cook burgers anyways so a lot of the fat is drained out, that’s why they advertise "weight before cooking". Most of the fat in fast food burgers comes from margarine or mayonnaise. The ketchup is also loaded with salt and sugar. Soda, hopefully is self-explanatory. Fries are just pure carbohydrates, and there is very little difference between "whole" grains and white bread. The "whole" grain provides some additional fiber , which is good and if there are actually any whole grains in it can slow absorption of some carbohydrate, fat and salt are just about the same. You could eat most of your meals in a McDonald’s and not get fat, BUT you would have to choose carefully and balance it with additional vegetables (even the salads are mostly lettuce with no nutritional value). You will get just as fat eating similar foods at home.

Not a McDonald’s fan personally, I rarely eat fast food but every once in a while it will not kill the vast majority of people. As it has been said MANY times parents do not have to take their kids there, they have healthier choices if they do and they shouldn’t allow their kids to sit around all day playing video games or watching TV.